


Youth

by sunnysummoner



Category: Young Justice, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-06
Updated: 2012-11-06
Packaged: 2017-11-18 03:10:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/556227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunnysummoner/pseuds/sunnysummoner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Were they really that young? Because sometimes Kaldur thought Robin seemed so old.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Youth

"You're all young."

That phrase resounded in Kaldur's mind. The others, yes, they were young. But was he? He was the oldest and, although Robin had the most experience, he'd had military training. Perhaps, somewhere along the line, Kadlur had assumed he'd lost his youth. Was he young?

Robin was both young and old. His laugh echoed through the cave; his smile, his real smile, was warm and somehow comforting. He and Wally constantly joked, he constantly bantered, he toyed with words. He was young.

And yet sometimes Aqualad saw someone much older. A hardness overtook his features, and he suddenly looked like he'd seen lifetimes' worth of heartbreak. Gotham wasn't a pleasant place, so perhaps it was to be expected. But it seemed like something more. It was during these moments-- brief and fleeting as they were-- that reminded Kaldur of a soldier. Maybe Robin hadn't chosen to become one half of the dynamic duo. Maybe he had to, out of penance or, more likely, duty. Kaldur wondered, but he never asked. All he knew was that it made him sad to see it. He'd seen so many soldiers, but very few people as young as Robin was in those moments of true youth. The world oculd use more jokes and bright laughter, not a soldier fighting for something vague and unattainable.

The Team made the surface feel like home. Robin made them all young, whether they realized it or not. Whether they really were or not. He pulled them into his world of childlike warmth and playfulness. He made things a little brighter.

Which is why Kaldur wanted to let Robin have as much of that youth as possible. Whatever youth could be salvaged out of a life that was surely harder than Robin ever let on. The burden Kaldur carried was heavy, but it was worth it.


End file.
